7 Horriying Facts about Flesh Trade on Indian Highways

7 Horriying Facts about Flesh Trade on Indian Highways

Flesh trade is not something new to India. The country has been witnessing this since ages. During the medieval period, Mughal and Rajput armies used women for their pleasure. During the monarchy days, females were used as court entertainers and dancers.

However with the abolition of the monarchy system, the women lost their trade. Slowly, many such women turn to prostitution and flesh trade to feed their families and to maintain livelihood. The ever-increasing number of bars and brothels have augmented in the growth of flesh trade.

1) Tribes and communities who practice flesh trade as part of their tradition and culture:

There are some communities living in central India who practice prostitution and flesh trade as part of their culture.

The Banchhara community in Madhya Pradesh who live in the villages along the National Highway have been practicing flesh trade. The girls in the community are forced into prostitution as part of their religious and social duty.

3) From brothels to lodges to hotels

The flesh trade has moved from brothels to lodges and hotels now. Some people who fear societal pressure carry on flesh trade in lodges and hotels located in the outskirts of towns and cities.

Many hotels carry on this trade illegally, while some pay hefty amounts to police to carry on their work smoothly. Depending on the location of the hotel and the clients they receive, they pay certain amount to police so as to stay safe.

4) Age of girls

Small girls of 12-13 years are forced into this trade by their agents or their families, while there are others who are between the age group of 15-22 and are forced to work in this industry.

Many girls are abducted from their villages and thrown into the flesh trade. Some poor families sell their daughters to agents at meagre amounts to fulfil their financial needs.

5) Who are the clients?

Can be anyone. For the Banchhara community, the main clients include truck drivers, cab drivers and so on. Spending most of their time on the highways, they are the easy targets to lure for the flesh trade agents.

Moreover, it can be anyone be it a lower class person to a high class individual.

6) NGO

There are many NGOs who are working against flesh trade and child trafficking in the country. These organizations with the help of local police has helped in tracking and nabbing many gangs who are involved in flesh trade and recover minor girls from the clutches of flesh traders.

7) Skills training to curb flesh trade

Most people, especially girls jump into flesh trade because they don’t have any other means of livelihood. If the girls in the villages are trained on honing their skills in different areas, they can get rid of this flesh trade and work in other fields to earn livelihood.

With proper education and understanding the business of prostitution or flesh trade can be limited if not curbed entirely. The only thing required is to educate people, especially girls and their parents about the issues and to make them understand that there is life beyond this.

Would like to know your views about the article. You can share your opinions and observations regarding flesh trade and how it affects girls in the comments section below.